Justice Rita Garman announces formation of judicial screening committee to fill Eleventh Circuit vacancy
Kathy Schmidt of Lincoln to serve on committee

 

[December 11, 2020] 

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Rita B. Garman announced on Thursday the formation of a judicial screening committee for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit.

The screening committee was formed for the purpose of assessing the qualifications of those persons who have applied for appointment to the Office of Judge of the Circuit Court for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit created by the retirement of Judge Scott Drazewski. Under the Illinois constitution, the vacancy will be filled by Supreme Court appointment.

After the committee has received public input, gathered information, and interviewed each of the applicants, it will report its findings to the Illinois Supreme Court, which will make the appointment from among those applicants who have been screened by the committee. The person appointed will serve as a judge of the Circuit Court until the general election to be held in November 2022.

The screening committee consists of seven persons who reside in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit. Four of the committee members are non-lawyers and three are lawyers.

The non-lawyer members of the committee are John Kelly of Pontiac, Dr. Jeffrey Lowe of Hudson, Andrea Markert of Bloomington, and Kathy Schmidt of Lincoln.

The lawyer members of the committee include Judge Steve Pacey (retired) of Paxton, Catherine Pratt of Bloomington, and Millicent Roth of Bloomington.

Kathy Schmidt will serve as chairperson of the committee.

Applicants who are to be considered for appointment to the judgeship, and will be screened by the committee are attorney Carla Barnes, attorney Timothy Bass, attorney Joseph Foley, attorney
Danielle Kays, Associate Judge Sarah Duffy, Associate Judge Scott Kording, Associate Judge Amy McFarland, and Associate Judge William Workman.

Members of the public are invited to submit comments concerning the applicants by writing to Eleventh Circuit Committee at 11judicialscreeningcomm
[e-mail].

Comments should be received by the committee before December 24, 2020. All comments will be held in the strictest confidence by the committee and the court.

The Eleventh Judicial Circuit includes Ford, Livingston, Logan, McLean, and Woodford counties.

[Sanchon Corbin]